NGTV Guide: Thursday, March 4

Oddly, most of our Thursday shows are still on hiatus. Enjoy it while you can, Nice Girls!

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“Red Herring” – Jane and the team investigate the murder of an arrogant chef during a cooking competition in Napa Valley.

Burn Notice – USA 10/9c – SEASON FINALE
“Devil You Know” – Michael’s worst fears come to life when a world class terrorist is unleashed on Miami, threatening to detonate a bomb if Michael doesn’t give him what he wants. John Mahoney and Garret Dillahunt guest-star.

NGTV Guide: Thursday, February 11

FOX’s shows are on hiatus until April 1, which gives us a chance to see if Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains is worth watching. What, I’m the only Survivor fan around here? OK, is anyone else excited about a Cho-centric episode on The Mentalist?

Survivor – CBS 8/7c – SEASON PREMIERE
“Slay Everyone, Trust No One” – In one of the most physical reward challenges ever played, injuries threaten to send two castaways home before the first challenge is completed.

The Vampire Diaries - the CW 8/7c
“Fool Me Once” – Stefan helps Elena and Bonnie out of a dangerous situation. Jeremy asks Anna (guest star Malese Jow) to a party in the woods, unaware that she has her own reasons for wanting to meet him there. When Stefan, Damon and Elena work with Bonnie and Grams (guest star Jasmine Guy) to open the tomb, everyone is shocked by what they discover.

Supernatural – the CW 9/8c
“My Bloody Valentine” – Castiel helps Sam and Dean hunt down Cupid (guest star Lex Medlin) on Valentine’s Day after townspeople start to kill each other for love. However, after Cupid tells them he’s innocent, they discover Famine (guest star James Otis), one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, has arrived in town.

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“Blood In, Blood Out” – When a member of Cho’s former gang, the Avon Park Playboys, is found murdered, Patrick Jane insists on helping Cho with his off-the-books investigation.

Burn Notice – USA 10/9c
“Enemies Closer” – Michael ends up in hot water when the black ops sociopath he’s been dealing with asks him to steal sensitive flight information. Things only get worse, however, when Michael’s former mentor Larry shows up, with a Columbian drug cartel on his heels looking for a stolen shipment of cash.

NGTV Guide: Thursday, February 4

When Nice Boys collide! Josh Malina guest stars alongside TJ Thyne in tonight’s winter finale of Bones.

The Vampire Diaries – the CW 8/7c
“Children of the Damned” – In flashbacks, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) recall the long-ago actions taken by townspeople including their father, Guiseppe Salvatore (guest star James Remar, “Dexter”), and Pearl (guest star Kelly Hu, “Army Wives”), leading to the devastating events that caused the rift in their relationship. In the present, Bonnie’s (Katerina Graham) date with Ben (guest star Sean Faris) takes a frightening turn. Elena (Nina Dobrev) helps Stefan as he and Damon race to find the missing journal that belonged to Elena’s ancestor. Stefan learns the reason behind Alaric’s (Matt Davis) interest in both the journal and the town’s history. Damon discovers that an old acquaintance has returned to town with an agenda he understands.

Bones – FOX 8/7c – WINTER FINALE
“The Devil in the Details” – Brennan and Booth investigate a set of uniquely disfigured remains allegorizing biblical text. As they acquire more information about the victim, a former patient of Dr. Adam Copeland (guest star Josh Malina) at Havenhurst Sanitarium, they are confronted with suspects who are hard to characterize as either good or evil. Meanwhile, Jeffersonian intern Arastoo Vaziri reveals a secret about his past.

Supernatural – the CW 9/8c
“The Song Remains the Same” – The angels send Anna (guest star Julie McNiven) back in time to kill John (guest star Matthew Cohen) and Mary (guest star Amy Gumenick) Winchester before they can conceive Sam (Jared Padalecki) knowing that if Sam was never born then Lucifer won’t be able to use him as his vessel. Castiel (Misha Collins) sends Sam and Dean (Jensen Ackles) back to 1978 so they can stop Anna, and the two brothers are reunited with their parents. Mary recognizes Dean as a hunter since he visited her in the past once before but tries to keep the truth from John.

Fringe – FOX 9/8c – WINTER FINALE
“Jacksonville” – After a violent tremor shakes a Manhattan office building to its core, leaving only one survivor who leads the Fringe Team to believe he is not from this reality. Walter surmises that what shook the building was not geologic, but rather something discovered by him and William Bell many years ago. With another catastrophe imminent, the team races to Jacksonville, the site of Walter and William’s experiments, forcing Olivia to face her mysterious past in an effort to save hundreds of people from certain death.

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“Redline” – Patrick Jane and the CBI team investigate when the body of a high-end luxury car sales woman is found in the trunk of a Bentley in the dealership’s showroom

Burn Notice – USA 10/9c
“Noble Causes” – Michael is caught off guard by a visit from his drug-dealing neighbor Sugar. But to Michael’s surprise, Sugar isn’t looking for trouble — he needs Michael’s help fending off a crew of notorious thieves.

Spotlight On: Alicia Witt

At the tender age of 8, Alicia Witt became a world-renown film actress after David Lynch cast her to co-star in the sci-fi film Dune along side Kyle McLaughlin. She played the iconic role of Alia, the younger sister of Paul Atreides. With such an auspicious start to her career, it helped launch her into an exclusive arena of acting professionals. Fortunately, she took a break to focus on school and did not return to regular acting work until she was 14, when David Lynch gave her a small role in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (also starring Kyle McLaughlin). In Twin Peaks she played Gersten Hayward, the piano-playing child extraordinaire. This brief appearance was a great way to showcase Alicia’s own piano prowess and afterward she played professionally at the famed Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel for a period.

During the next 5 years, Alicia appeared in numerous films, fine-tuning her acting skills in such projects as Bodies, Rest & Motion with Phoebe Cates and Bridget Fonda, Fun with Leslie Hope, Four Rooms playing Madonna’s daughter, Mr. Holland’s Opus with Richard Dreyfuss, and Citizen Ruth with Laura Dern and Swoosie Kurtz. Never one to shy away from controversial roles or an opportunity to stretch the boundaries of character portrayals, Alicia played an array of challenging roles. Then, in a complete change of pace, Alicia took on a major role in the television series Cybill playing Cybill Shepherd’s daughter, Zoey. It was a light-weight, fun comedy series that ran for four seasons, reintroducing Alicia to mainstream American audiences.

After Cybill ended, Alicia returned to making brief appearances on shows like Ally McBeal and The Sopranos, and then went onto pursue the stage. She appeared briefly in the musical The Gift but then quickly moved on to feature film roles, with bit parts in Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, Two Weeks Notice with Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock, and The Upside of Anger with Kevin Costner and Joan Allen. She also moved abroad for a number of years, during which she wrote and produced two short films, Girl’s Lunch and Belinda’s Swan Song.

Finally, after tackling both film and theater work abroad in the UK and South Africa, Alicia returned to the United States in 2007 and promptly landed a multi-episode arc on the Dick Wolf series Law & Order: Criminal Intent (filling in for Julianne Nicholson who was on maternity leave). She also made a pivotal guest appearance in the hit drama The Mentalist playing Rosalind Harker, the blind-fiancée of the infamous Red John.

Most recently, Alicia has been appearing in the critically-adored television series Friday Night Lights as Cheryl, the amorous bartender/landlord of Tim Riggins and mother of beauty pageant-aspiring Becky. In a role that many other actresses would naturally shy away from due to its sensitive nature, Alicia has embraced the tough role and made it relatable and sympathetic for viewers.

Additionally, while on hiatus, Alicia has worked on a few independent films, including Peep World with Michael C. Hall, Kate Mara and Judy Greer; The Pond with David Morse; and Backyard Wedding with Frances Fisher.

Clearly, Alicia is a determined young woman who seeks out roles that will expand and enhance her acting experience. She seems to relish the taboo and does not hesitate if the subject matter is unusual. No matter how risqué or thought-provoking the role, from the first moment she lit up the movie screen, Alicia has been mesmerizing to watch. It will be a pleasure to see what she does next and how she shapes yet another piece of Hollywood history.

Friday Night Lights currently airs on DirecTV on Wednesday nights and will begin the rebroadcast of its 4th season on Friday nights starting April 30th on NBC.

NGTV Guide: Thursday, January 21

The Vampire Diaries – the CW 8/7c
“Bloodlines” – Damon takes a trip to Georgia, where he surprises an old flame, Bree (guest star Gina Torres, “Eli Stone”) and enlists her help to figure out how to open the tomb. In the process, Damon comes face to face with someone who is determined to make him pay for past wrongs. Stefan opens up to Grams (guest star Jasmine Guy) in his effort to help Bonnie overcome her fears and accept her powers. While researching his history paper in the public library, Jeremy meets a cute-but-geeky girl named Anna (guest star Malese Jow, “Hannah Montana”) who has her own theories on the folklore of Mystic Falls. When Damon returns from Georgia, Stefan is waiting with news that will change their world.

Community – NBC 8/7c
“Interpretive Dance” – The gang discovers that Jeff  has a new girlfriend but he is determined to keep his affair a secret. Meanwhile, Troy and Britta have secrets of their own and decide to share it with their friends.

Supernatural – the CW 9/8c
“Sam, Interrupted” – A former hunter named Martin, who is currently institutionalized, calls Sam and Dean for help investigating a case in the mental hospital. The brothers get themselves admitted as patients to check out the mysterious monster that is attacking the patients, but their incarceration pushes both to the breaking point as they unleash their inner demons against each other.

Bones – FOX 8/7c
“The Proof in the Pudding” – Mr. White (guest star Richard T. Jones) and his team of government agents put the Jeffersonian Lab on lock down and demand that Brennan and her forensics team determine a cause of death for an unidentified, but highly classified set of remains. As the team gets to work, their findings lead them to suspect they are investigating one of the most famous presidential assassinations in history. Meanwhile, Booth’s boss, Andrew Hacker (guest star Diedrich Bader), helps him break into the lab and determine the motive behind the mystery investigation, and a frustrated Cam worries that Michelle may be keeping a big secret from her.

Fringe – FOX 9/8c
“What Lies Below” – When a man enters an office in Boston for a meeting, he becomes disoriented and collapses, only to have his veins erupt and spray blood everywhere. Shortly after Olivia and Peter arrive at the scene to investigate the bizarre case, it’s discovered that a lethal virus with deep ties to something very valuable is spreading, so the CDC moves in to quarantine the building and eradicate the pathogens. Isolated inside with the rest of the exposed office employees, Peter and Olivia face life-threatening circumstances, sending Walter, Broyles and Astrid on a frantic search for a solution to save them.

30 Rock - NBC 9:30/8:30c
“Winter Madness” – When Liz Lemon decides to take the TGS show on the road to cure a case of the winter blues for the staff, the anticipated trip doesn’t exactly go as planned. Jack Donaghy chooses the destination and travels with the show for his own interest, and while away from New York, the TGS crew blames Liz for all of their misfortunes.

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“Bleeding Heart” – Patrick Jane and the team investigate the murder of a mayor’s aide, and Rigsby and Van Pelt make a big announcement.

NGTV Guide: Thursday, January 14

Several shows return from holiday hiatus tonight, so get ready to snuggle up with some good TV!

Community – NBC 8/7c
“Investigative Journalism” – The gang reunites after winter break and much to their surprise there’s a new addition. One of their fellow classmates is eager to join their study group and the gang must decide whether or not this particular individual is worthy. Meanwhile, Jeff (Joel McHale) signs on as editor of the Greendale Gazette Journal.

Bones – FOX 8/7c
“The X In The File” – Dean Haglund (“The X-Files”) Guest Stars when an out-of-this-world case brings Brennan and Booth to New Mexico where they investigate human remains with extraterrestrial attributes. The victim is identified as a local UFO fanatic, known around town for her relentless search for alien life forms and whose latest “evidence” leads even Brennan and Booth to re-think outside existence. Meanwhile, a local sheriff refuses to release the bones, forcing the team at the Jeffersonian to work via satellite, and Angela and Jeffersonian intern Wendell (guest star Michael Grant Terry) come clean about their relationship.

30 Rock – NBC 9:30/8:30c
“Klaus and Greta” – After a wild New Year’s Eve, Jack tries to undo the damage he caused from leaving a drunken message on an ex-lover’s voicemail. In the meantime, Jenna pursues a faux relationship with actor James Franco (guest starring) in an attempt to cover up his embarrassing secret. After “outing” her sheltered cousin to his family, Liz  welcomes him to New York City, while Tracy discovers a newfound respect for women.

Fringe - FOX 9/8c
“Johari Window” – Following an unexplained attack involving hideously deformed humans, the Fringe team visits the small town in upstate New York to uncover leads surrounding the bizarre case. When it’s determined that these deformed people have managed to hide themselves for a while and they’ll do just about anything to keep it that way, the investigation takes an unexpected turn.

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“Rose-Colored Glasses” – Rigsby goes undercover as an alum at a 15th high school reunion when Patrick Jane and the team investigate a double homicide that may be linked to an old prank.

NGTV Guide: Thursday, December 17

The other networks are airing reruns, but CBS gives us one more new episode of The Mentalist before the year runs out, and it sounds like a doozy.

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“Throwing Fire” – While Jane and the team examine the crime scene where a baseball scout is found murdered, Jane is clocked in the head by a ball and flashes back to his childhood with his overbearing father (Nick Chinlund).

NGTV Guide: Thursday, December 10

It’s a night of holiday-themed episodes and guest stars as TV land gets in the Christmas spirit!

Community – NBC 8/7c
“Comparative Religion” – A bully (Anthony Michael Hall) challenges Jeff, who’s also worried about failing Spanish. Elsewhere, Shirley plans a Christmas party for the gang without realizing that not all of them celebrate the holiday.

Bones – FOX 8/7c
“The Goop on the Girl” – In this first-ever on-screen pairing of the Deschanel sisters, Zooey Deschanel plays Margaret Whitesell, a distant relative of Dr. Brennan (Emily Deschanel). When Brennan’s father, Max (guest star Ryan O’Neal), makes contact with Margaret, he invites her to spend Christmas with him and his daughter. Meanwhile, Brennan and Booth (David Boreanaz) investigate the death of a man dressed as Santa Claus who was blown up after a botched bank robbery.

Fringe – FOX 9/8c
“Grey Matters” – A Fringe investigation is triggered when a patient at a mental institution undergoes an impromptu brain surgery that unexpectedly leaves his brain exposed. Despite the unthinkable circumstances, the patient’s condition and sanity miraculously improves before the Fringe team arrives. While Agent Dunham and Peter scan surveillance tapes (and Walter enjoys his pudding), Olivia recognizes a familiar face as Thomas Jerome Newton (guest star Sebastian Roche), the leader of the “shape-shifters.” As similar cases stack up, the Fringe team heads back to the lab to determine exactly how patients are being cured. Walter’s brains are put to the test and William Bell (guest star Leonard Nimoy) resurfaces.

30 Rock - NBC 9:30/8:30c
“Secret Santa” – Jack chances upon a former school flame (Julianne Moore) via a new social-networking site. Elsewhere, Kenneth struggles to arrange a holiday gift swap; Liz futilely tries to buy a gift for the finicky Jack; and a miffed Jenna must share her holiday solo performance.

The Mentalist – CBS 10/9c
“A Price Above Rubies” - Patrick Jane and the team are called to investigate the robbery and murder of a wealthy jeweler while attending a black tie fundraiser for the CBI

Preparing for My Long Winter’s Nap…

I wish. In reality I’m preparing for 10 days off work. Normally that time is spent sleeping late, catching up on TV, cleaning out a closet or a junk drawer, oh, and a day or two of celebration with family and friends. This year I’ll get the celebration in, and maybe get to sleep late once, but I have a feeling the DVR, and the junk drawers, will be just as cluttered come New Year’s thanks to traveling and family commitments. That’s alright though, because we’ll still have most of January without new TV so I can catch up…oh wait, no, the networks are conspiring against me there, too.

After barely catching our breath from a whirlwind fall season, midseason for this Nice Girl starts up January 6 when Ugly Betty moves to it’s new timeslot at 10/9c on Wednesdays. Dollhouse returns for it’s last few episodes on January 9, then January 10 Chuck’s third season debuts with a 2-night, 3-hour extravaganza. I’ve had a chance to preview the first 5 episodes, and they are fantastic! (Watch for my advance review closer to the premiere.) Not to be outdone, Fox moved the next new episode of House up a couple of weeks to January 11 to compete with Chuck, following it with an unaired episode of Fringe from season 1. Leverage kicks off its winter season on January 13, then Bones and The Mentalist return January 14. And that’s just the first two weeks of the year. Being a fan of good TV is exhausting!

(Need to fill out your midseason calendar? Check out Rueben’s list of dates that matter.)

“True Blood” Vampire is “The Mentalist’s” New Boss

Virgil Minelli retired as CBI boss, leaving an opening that The Mentalist showrunners filled with the lovely and very talented Aunjanue Ellis. Most recently known by Nice Girls as the dangerously nasty Diane, the vampire that wanted to chew on Sookie Stackhouse in the first season of HBO’s mega-hit series, True Blood.

Ellis joins the cast in a pivotal episode of The Mentalist some time in April. I’m excited to see what kind of changes this will bring in department relations. I’m most interested to see how Lisbon and Jayne will interact to her.

It should be a great season!

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